Passengers travelling through Malta International Airport are facing immigration delays of over 40 minutes due to the EU’s new Entry/Exit System, sparking concerns of even worse disruption as the busy summer season approaches.According to Times of Malta, some travellers have come dangerously close to missing their flights after long queues at police border control, with frustration growing over the rollout of new checks for non-EU passengers. At least one travel agent has already filed a formal complaint with the government.The new automated system, administered locally by the police, requires non-EU travellers to scan their passport, provide fingerprints and have their photograph taken. While the system is designed to prevent visa abuse, detect false identities and track overstays using biometric data, aviation sources say its implementation is far from smooth.“It’s a mess, frankly,” one aviation source told Times of Malta, warning that Malta risks heading into peak summer with serious bottlenecks. “The airport experience shapes visitors’ first and last impression of Malta. If it feels disorganised, that impacts the whole trip.”The police confirmed that Malta is already processing 100% of eligible passengers through the system and had previously warned travellers to expect longer processing times. They said random tests show it takes around 90 seconds to process each passenger, though this varies depending on passenger preparedness and how many flights are arriving or departing at once.Malta International Airport (MIA), which saw a record 10 million passengers last year, said works are already underway to ease the pressure.An €11 million terminal expansion completed in June 2025 introduced a new Schengen arrivals corridor, freeing up space to expand the non-Schengen arrivals hall and increase immigration capacity. Six new booths have been added to the existing five, with further upgrades planned in the departures area.MIA also confirmed that contingency plans will be rolled out during peak summer periods, including the temporary installation of additional border control booths to handle increased traffic.Still, with passenger numbers expected to surge in the coming months, concerns remain that delays could worsen before they improve.What do you make of this?•